The Affairs of Wizards: Drabbles
by Etirdoyn
Summary: (10) When Arthur met Molly Prewett. (11) When Charlie first figured it out, he didn't have a word for it. (12) Being asexual wasn't an issue, at least not for Charlie.
1. Different Weasley

**A Different Weasley -** _Big brother Ron gets a letter from little brother Charlie. He panics._

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Bill's younger brother shows up in a whirlwind of flailing, incoherent shouting and with limbs trembling even as the Auror dragged him to a secluded area before hastily erecting a privacy bubble. "I thought you didn't have time off to visit until-" he starts to say.

Ron flails a bit more and now Bill can see his brother was holding a letter, " _THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW!_ "

"Did you just _leave_?" Bill sputters because his brother loved his job, for him to leave when he was on duty to visit - though… " _Did you just Apparate to Egypt!?_ "

The letter was waved in his face, " _NOT IMPORTANT!_ " Ron bellows at him, " _DRAGON! AT! HOGWARTS!_ **CHARLIE!** "

"Let me see if I got this right," he says, voice forcibly clam because _one_ of them has to and clearly it wasn't going to be his brother. "Charlie wrote to you about a dragon at Hogwarts-" Ron nodded rapidly and Bill guessed, because it was _Charlie_ and it wasn't the first time something like this had happened - it had probably been too much to hope that _this_ particular habit wouldn't pop up at Hogwarts. "-that he's hiding from the teachers and now he wants our help to 'free' it into it's natural habitat?"

Ron manages to keep from yelling though his words come out as loud and chocked, " _How? Dragon! **How?!**_ "

"…I have no idea." Bill admitted, earning a kind of groaning shriek of dismay.

He was taught to deal with fearsome goblins, horrible curses and lethal traps - _not_ dragons.

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 **A/N:** This is actually part of a series on AO3, titled _The Affairs of Wizards_ , and I thought it'd be kind of silly to just post a bunch of different drabbles as different stories so I kept them all as one story. The longer, non-drabble parts of the series will be their own stories.

If anyone's curious, I am counting a drabble as anywhere from 100 words to 3500 words.


	2. Inevitable

**Inevitable-** _Wizards at large don't even_ try _to keep up with muggle technology, it was inevitable that muggles find out about magic._

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Looking back, it's all so _stupid_.

Hundreds of years of secrecy, through entire _wars_ , and it's because of a bunch of Quidditch fans who got a bit too drunk, a bit too careless during the World Cup. And of course there's a muggle around at just the right moment to catch them transfiguring a couple of empty bottles into their team's mascot, _of course_ it's a teenager who records it on her cell phone then immediately posts it on the internet. _Of course_ even after the poor girl's Obliviated, the wizards don't think to censure the video - no, of course not, what do _wizards_ know of muggle technology?

Is it any surprise that the teen was concerned to find she posted a - very popular - video one YouTube but couldn't remember it at all? That, at the time the video was posted, she very _clearly_ remembered that she was at a store to buy milk.

And compounding this, the wizards in charge of the poor girl's Obliviation don't think to check her cell phone. Of course the girl is going to freak out when she finds that she was texting her friend about this amazing thing she saw, that posted on YouTube, and she realizes that she _can't remember a single thing about it_.

Honestly.

Wizards at large don't even _try_ to keep up with muggle technology, it was inevitable that muggles find out about magic.

At the time though, I remember the great _panic_ about it all - the fear, on both sides, of finding out and being found out. The uncertainty of what it means for the future.

Mostly, when I found out about the reveal - about the muggle _panic_ and _fear_ and _anger_ over the realization that magicals had been not only hiding among them but _modifying their memories_ \- I remember a deep, all consuming moment of terror because I wasn't ready to go to war.

Not again, not against the world I grew up in, not against my parent's world.

\- _Hermione Granger_


	3. Hashtag Actual Magic

**#Actual Magic-** _Magic's real, there are actually DRAGONS out in the world...it's an awesome time to be alive. #Actual Magic_

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 _._

 **the0nlyw0n**

monstermashers dude, have _seen_ this?! Magic is real!

 **monstermashers**

 _Holy shit_ _!_ WHAT WHEN WHERE?!

 **seriesofmalfortune**

I can't believe people are stupid enough to believe in _magic_. Obviously it's just special effects.

 **todaystheday**

seriesofmalfortune it's not special effects - my sister's a witch, something called a 'muggle-born'

 **seriesofmalfortune**

#it's really not #my sister is a witch #though she says she's a 'muggle-born' #which is apparently a Thing #Actual Magic (via  todaystheday)

You misspelled back there, that 'w' is supposed to be a 'b'

 **greenebean**

seriesofmalfortune stfu and go else where.  todaystheday what the heck is a 'muggle-born'

 _#some idiots #magic #Actual Magic_

 **1,254 notes**

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 **the0nlyw0n**

monstermashers dude, have _seen_ this?! Magic is real!

 **monstermashers**

 _Holy shit_ _!_ WHAT WHEN WHERE?!

 **monstermashers**

NO WAIT FORGET THAT SOMEONE MENTIONED DRAGONS ARE THEY REAL

 **redtalonlionman**

Well, since the secrets out _anyways_...yes dragons are real.

 **w0nd3rfu11**

#I'm 50% sure I'm gonna get in trouble for this #but the secrets already out #it's not like this won't come out anyways #but yes dragons are a Thing #so are a lot of magic creatures #but dragons are the ones I work with #much to my mum's dismay (via redtalonlionman)

 ** _what the fuck you can't leave it at just that tell me more_**

 _#dragons ftw #DRAAAGOOONS! #Actual Magic #common lionman you can't leave me hanging_

 **1,254 notes**

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 **redtalonlionman**

w0nd3rfu11 you wanted more about dragons...

Dragons are universally Classified as an XXXXX magical creature - as in _'known wizard killer, impossible to domesticate'_. Not that that stops people from liking them, the people who work with them are called Dragon Keepers while those who study them are called a Dragonologist - I am technically the later but I work as the former the majority of the time. Most dragons nowadays live on dragon reserves, though there are doubtlessly wild dragons living in areas where humans haven't settled - and, for their sakes, hopefully never will - yet.

But. _Dragons_.

They're found around the world, in a variety of sizes with a wide-range of adaptions and, while many do, not all of them breathe fire. Those who do, tend to have a range of six to twelve meters but the Chinese Fireball has been known to hit targets from a range of double that when in the air.

Keep Reading

 **w0nd3rfu11**

#dragons #long post #dragons don't really have a scientific name #mostly because MAGIC - and science never really mixed #maybe they'll get some now #Hungarian Horntail - dracosaurus caudatelum #my boss found out about this #I didn't get in trouble #so I guess I'm free to post whatever #maybe I can start posting things about dragons instead of reblogging it (via  redtalonlionman)

 _THIS IS AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL AND YOU HAVE TO POST MORE THINGS ABOUT DRAGONS LIONMAN_

 **monstermashers**

I JUST SAW THIS AND I AGREE COMPLETELY

 **monstermashers**

the0nlyw0n

Magic's real, there are actually DRAGONS out in the world...it's an awesome time to be alive. _#Actual Magic_

 _#Actual Magic #DRAGONS! #I love my life sometimes_

 **3,059 notes**

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 **A/N:** Apparently Charlie has a Tumblr account, who knew? Not Me


	4. Clock Hands

**Clock Hands-** _The other six hands weren't pointing at 'home' where he had expected them. Instead pointing straight at the words 'mortal peril' that his parents had repeatedly told him to tell them if it happened._

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"Percy? Percy?" Charlie started searching for his younger brother when he found the playpen abandoned, not really concerned because he _knew_ his mum had put magic all around the house to keep them all from getting hurt. " _Percy?_ _Where are you?_ "

He found the toddler sitting near a window in the sitting room, peering out into the darkening front yard as he hummed, " _G'een 'ight, g'een 'ight..._ "

"What're you doing over here, huh?" Charlie said, wrapping his arms around his brother's chest like a hug before lifting the two year old up, making him squeal in delight. Unlike the twins, who very much enjoyed moving about - thankfully not yet walking - on their own to seek their own trouble, Percy _loved_ to be carried and held - Mum had said that Bill was the same but _he_ had been more like the twins, though Charlie went for the front door rather then an unattended wand like the twins did.

"'Ask!" Percy chirped, utterly content to be held though Charlie was already dreading the trip upstairs, then sang, " _Run, run!_ "

" _-far away,_ " he continued automatically before he froze as it registered and his head snapped to look out the window. Nothing, but...

Charlie whirled around to look at the grandfather clock, Percy letting a squeak at the sudden movement and he muttered a quick apology to keep the toddler from crying. The largest hand, with _Arthur_ carved into the gold, was pointing to 'work' like he expected. The other six hands weren't pointing at 'home' where he had expected them. Instead pointing straight at the words 'mortal peril' that his parents had repeatedly told him to tell them if it happened.

"Let's go," Charlie breathed, heaving his brother to the stairs in a hurried rush that had Percy whining in protest. He ignored it and just started to half drag and half push his brother up the stairs, "Up, up, _up_. Mum! MUM!" He called when he realized that it'd take them a while to reach the third floor where his mother and older brother were washing the twins. " _MUM!_ "

They'd made it to the first floor when Bill appeared higher up on the stairs, apparently having been sent to see why he was yelling. "What's wrong?"

" _Clock - peril - we - masks!_ " Charlie blurted, then tried for something more understandable though Bill already was starting to look alarmed. "Percy said he saw _white masks_ out side - the front - and I checked the clock, all of our hands are on 'mortal peril'."

Bill went still, face whitening before he was charging down the hall with an urgent, " _Mum..!_ "

For a moment, Charlie _hated_ his older brother.

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 **A/N:** To  SB- Potterhead Budgie Lover thanks for the review!


	5. Career Day

**Career Day-** _Then, the wizard started talking about_ dragons. 'This,' _Charlie knew deep in his bones as surely as he had known he was a wizard_ , 'this is what I want to do when I grow up.'

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It's nearing the end of his second year when suddenly rumors pop up about how Headmaster Dumbledore had convinced someone _famous_ to visit for Career Day. Charlie didn't pay much mind to the excited whispers and loud debates about who the famous wizard - because _wizard_ not _witch_ is the only thing that everyone seemed to agree on - visiting was and what job they'd be talking about.

"Maybe it's Mad-Eye Moody," Charlie had said when his roommates had asked him, starting an argument about whether the Auror was considered 'famous' or not.

They found out he was wrong on a Monday - because even though it was called Career _Day_ , it usually spanned over the time of a week due to the guests' hectic schedules - when a woman called Amelia Bones, _Senior_ _Auror_ she introduced herself, came to represent the DMLE. The talk of potential job prospects - and the electives and grades they'd have to get to be accepted - at the DMLE was followed by a _very stern_ lecture on the consequences of disobeying the law that morphed into the presentations of other Ministry workers.

Ministry Monday, his roommates had called it.

(Really, Charlie was just pleased to see his dad for a bit - sure some of the jobs seemed interesting, certainly they were _important_ , _but-..._ )

Tuesday consisted of the residents of Hogsmede making the trip up to Hogwarts to talk about the jobs there, from things like working at the Three Broomsticks to crafts like carpentry. Wednesday consisted of several people from Diagon Alley showing up such as Madam Malkin who spoke of creating clothing and running a self-own shop to a Gringotts employee who spoke of the kind of work that goblins would have you do - something Bill was so interested in that he skipped classes just to visit (and drag Charlie along) the room the employee had set up shop in.

The most interesting thing about Wednesday, though, had to be when he wandered into the _Daily Prophet's_ designated room by accident and, within minutes, watched as the wizard talking about the wonders of journalism was hounded by a seventh year witch named Rita Skeeter about a job post-graduation.

Thursday, really, was tame given it was the Hogwarts staff whom took time to speak about their jobs in their free time - Charlie quite liked following Hagrid about as the man showed the tasks he did for the school. Feeding the Giant Squid and help grooming the Hippogriffs who decided to make their home on the grounds was very interesting and, while everyone else made fun of the time he'd 'wasted' following Hagrid around for the day, Grounds Keeper seemed to be the most interesting job he'd heard about so far.

Friday came and with it the farther flung people, such as a Potioneer who came from Brazil to speak and a professional Broom Racer who'd gotten fifth place in the European Relay, along with Whispers about the 'famous' person.

 _Wrote one of the textbooks - Care of Magical Creatures_ , Charlie heard during breakfast by a group of passing Ravenclaws.

Slytherins, when he was trailing them to listen to the Potioneer, muttered, _Works with animals - oh, the shame his family must have felt!_

 _Don't see how it's famous,_ a roommate complained to him at lunch, _Sure he wrote a book but it's a_ textbook _and it's about_ animals _\- it's nothing interesting like an Auror or the racer!_

"He was a Hufflepuff too!" a Hufflepuff said to her friend as they exited a room, "Really, he's quite nice and his work seems interesting but...I don't think it's for _me_."

Charlie paused to look at the room the pair had exited, it was empty save for an older wizard who smiled when he saw him, "Oh, hello. Are you lost?"

 _I was just passing by,_ was on the tip of his tongue but something - maybe it was the various dismissals of the man's work he'd heard throughout the day, maybe it was how easily the man assumed that his coming was a _mistake_ \- had Charlie shaking his head and going further into the room. "No," he said instead, "I wanted to learn more."

"Oh, well, Magizoology isn't a very popular - or, uh, _lucrative_ \- field, not like being an Auror or Quidditch Player." the man started hesitantly, almost like he expected Charlie to turn around and leave at once. Charlie took a seat. "But, in my years, I've never once found it _boring_."

 _Never be unkind,_ his mother had told them and it was the reason why he entered the room. It wasn't the reason he stayed, though.

No, that was all genuine interest in what the man - Charlie really wished he'd asked the wizard his name but it seemed kind of awkward to ask _now,_ besides the wizard was talking about a Thunderbird named _Frank_ of all things - was saying. It was like the time spent with Hagrid, except _more_ because the moment with the Giant Squid and the Hippogriffs were fleeting because there were so many _other_ things to being a Grounds Keeper the animal care but this - _Magizoology_ \- was all about the animals.

A mention of his time yesterday with the Hippogriffs had the man launching into an excited tangent about the Hippogriff herd - "Though sometimes you'll hear a group referred to as a 'flock' but seeing as the _horse_ half of them are the more social bit, it's commonly agreed that a group is a _herd_." the man said - and how it had originated from the wizard's family's own herd. Apparently, a group of younger Hippogriffs decided they wanted to try making their own herd and, in an effort to keep the groups from fighting in territorial disputes and from the new herd from being endangered, were relocated to Hogwarts.

Then, the wizard started talking about _dragons_.

 _This,_ Charlie knew deep in his bones as surely as he had known he was a wizard, _this is what I want to do when I grow up._

It was startling when Professor McGonagall interrupted them just when they were about to debate if the _Horned Serpent_ might be related to the _Hungarian Horntail_ by way of a common ancestor, "Mr. Weasley, your brother has been looking for you since you missed dinner - it's past curfew."

"Oh," Charlie hunched slightly because he just _knew_ Bill was going to lecture him about not taking proper care of himself. If he was lucky, he'd manage to convince his brother not to owl their mother about him 'starving' himself - _again_.

"He's not in trouble, I hope," the man said hurriedly, "It was really my fault, I lost track of time-"

Professor McGonagall glanced at the papers strewn about - at some point they'd both wound up sitting on the floor as the wizard spread out notes and sketches of creatures to emphasize a point - and said, in a very even voice that made him flush, "So I see."

It was somewhat relieving to see that the wizard wasn't immune to Professor McGonagall's tone, looking rather abashed as he returned the papers with a wave of his wand.

"And no, Mr. Weasley's not in trouble since, I suppose, he didn't technically break a rule seeing as he had adult supervision the entire time," she said, then looked at him sternly, "That being said, it is time for him to go to bed - I will escort you back to Gryffindor tower."

"It was nice meeting you, I really enjoyed talking to you." Charlie said, then blurted, "But I never got your name."

The wizard blinked then laughed, smiling and answering once he calmed, "Newt - my name is Newt Scamander and the pleasure was all mine."

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 **A/N:** To  CrazySlytherin thanks for the review!


	6. Amongst Dragons

**Amongst Dragons-** _A pseudo-scientific journal about the lives of dragons_

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Salma landed heavily in the clearing and for a long moment her hind legs holds the entirety of her considerable weight, the horns and spines upon her body rattle briefly as warning while Salma checks to see if anyone had invaded the clearing she'd claimed until, satisfied that none had come near, she dropped down onto all fours. The dragoness' mouth opens for the first time since entering the clearing to deposit the small hoard of stones she had been keeping there onto the pile she had been collecting over the last three months; the majority of the are black or a dark grey color but there are some splashes of color in reddish or blue-tinged rocks, regardless of the color or shape the stones are all smooth with no sharp edges.

The Horntail is remarkably large at nearly seventeen meters as apposed to the average fifteen meters in length and, normally, her weight would be over one-thousand two-hundred kilograms. Salma, in her first year of sexual maturity at the ripe age of five, has managed to get pregnant and the weight of her stomach heavy with a clutch of eggs meant that she had gained over four-hundred kilograms. Though less visible then when she had been on her hind legs, it is possible to see small bulges in the thinner skin of the dragoness' stomach where the eggs, nearly ready to be laid, vied for more room in her crowded body.

The bulges shifted as Salma walked, the eggs rolling about inside her as she moved until she stopped at a depression in the ground. To her it wasn't a hole in the ground or by any means _large_ despite what humans confronted with such a thing would declare it, no to her it was a nest to lay her eggs. She tilted her head, on great yellow eye inspecting it before she snorted out a soft stream of smoke in disapproval.

Not quite ready.

Salma lifted her right foreleg off the ground and proceeded to use the tough skin of her knuckles to dig, her talons occasionally used to scrape out a piece of rock in the way, until the hole had been both widened and deepened by a third of it's original size. Satisfied, the Horntail started the tedious task of spreading her hoard of smooth stones all around the nest - only stopping when the ground surrounding the nest was no longer visible for an entire tail length.

For a second time Salma heaved herself onto her hind legs, the skin of her stomach stretching to show six distinct bulges, to breath fire on the area. The flames hardened the dirt nest and scorched the few colorful stones to black but most of all, the flames marked the territory as Salma's own - proclaimed that this was _her_ nest.

The task of creating a nest for her eggs complete, Salma took to the sky once more in search of food.

 _\- Charlie Weasley_

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 **A/N:** Will likely get it's own story at some point


	7. Not Alone

**Not Alone-** _Ever since Charlie had learned about Jurassic World in 2011, he_ had _meant to go. Now it was four years later then he'd expected, but Charlie was finally going to Isla Nublar. And it was_ hot.

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Ever since Charlie had learned about Jurassic World in 2011, he _had_ meant to go but first he had to save up for it then once he had the money, things kept popping up- from his younger siblings getting married and the children that came from it to Norberta laying her first clutch and a sudden resurgence of the Hatchling Plague.

It was four years later then he'd expected, but Charlie was finally going to Isla Nublar. And it was _hot_.

Charlie had never been to Costa Rica before, but he _had_ been to Egypt multiple times to visit his brother so he wasn't miserable from the heat like some of the other people on the boat. Granted, the heat was still uncomfortable since he never really got used to high temperatures like Bill had given that the reserve was located high in the mountains. He didn't cast a cooling charm to help ease his discomfort since, unlike any other wizard, _that_ kind of habit had been kicked out of him.

 _Never cast a spell more then you absolutely have to,_ they'd told him repeatedly throughout his first year in Romania, _It's the stupidest thing to do, wasting your magic to make yourself comfortable - and if comfort is what you're after you best choose a different career - only to find yourself too tired to do what you need to when an emergency pops up. And there's **always** an emergency of some kind when dragons are involved._

"-had eight species."

Charlie tilted his head at the voice that dragged him back to the present, leaning forwards to see a boy that couldn't be older then a third year talking to another who was obviously his older brother. The older one couldn't have been more then a fifth year - _maybe_ a sixth year whose birthday just missed the September 1st cut off. He frowned when he didn't see any adults who seemed to be traveling with them.

"Now they have fourteen herbivores and six carnivores," the younger went on even though the older seemed not to be listening. No the older was more focused - he glanced down - on _girls_ then his brother. "That's like fifty tons of food a week."

"Doesn't the Cretaceous Cruise boast over a hundred _different_ species," Charlie commented, offering what the twins had dubbed his 'older brother' smile when both jerked to look at him.

The older eyed him suspiciously, one had gripping his brother's shoulder that reminded Charlie of a mother dragon sheltering her hatchlings beneath her wing. The younger hesitated, glanced at the older, but did eventually speak, "That's different - there's twenty different _dinosaur_ species but the, uh, Cretaceous Cruise shows off not just dinosaurs but regular wildlife though it _does_ have several like the Microceratus and the Suchomimus."

"Have you been before?" he said as the pair of people separating them decided to move elsewhere, which he appreciated but also found somewhat concerning how easily someone with ill intentions could approach the brothers. "You seem to know quite a bit about the park."

The younger sent a quick glance at his brother but said, "No, but our aunt works there and she sent stuff over to help us plan out our trip."

 _That_ was a relief to hear, that the boys had family waiting for them at the park and that they wouldn't be unsupervised.

"What about you?" the question came out more as a demand, with how suspicious the teen was.

Charlie shook his head, "I've been meaning to go since it opened, never had a chance until now." Then, like an offering, added, "You could say I'm scouting things out, I've got an army of siblings and their children who demanded I tell them all about it when I get back - to see if it's worth visiting."

Granted, that had been mostly Harry and Hermione's idea - as they've actually heard about dinosaurs - but it gained a lot of interest when he had mentioned that dinosaurs were considered muggle dragons. Because, for children, dragons were the coolest thing _ever_ \- even if it was a muggle one who didn't breath fire or fly.

"Look, there's the island." he said, pushing away thoughts about his family for the moment.

"We're _here_ ," the younger breathed, awed already. A glance at the brother showed that the teen's mouth pulled up in a half-smile, looking remarkably _fond_ of the younger - at least until he caught Charlie looking, at which point he scoffed and looked away.

Charlie let out an amused huff, _teens._

He was far less amused later when he overheard the younger ask, "Where's Aunt Claire?"


	8. Missing

**Missing-** _Hogwarts. It was a safe haven all throughout the war against You-Know-Who, but is it still safe? How can it be, when there is a student missing?_

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 **Student Missing at Hogwarts  
** _ **Rita Skeeter** _

Hogwarts. The school in which we send our children to when the time comes for them to learn magic, the school we went to ourselves when we were just children. It was a safe haven all throughout the war against You-Know-Who, but is it still safe?

How can it be, when there is a student missing?

 _"We didn't notice at first,"_ a sixth year Gryffindor said when asked about his missing roommate, _"He keeps different hours then us - comes in real late and heads out early. He likes to walk around the grounds, see?"_

In fact, it was a sixth year _Hufflepuff_ that first noticed the Gryffindor was missing.

 _"I didn't really worry at first,"_ the female Hufflepuff, a friend of the missing student, said, _"Sometimes he'll skip meals and even classes to go help Hagrid with whatever needs doing, Hagrid's never complained and he always keeps up with his work so the teachers never stopped him. The thing is, he_ never _misses Care of Magical Creature - it's his favorite class and the only one we share so we make a point to go since it's hard to spend time together otherwise - but that day he_ did. _And I just_ knew _something was wrong."_

The student went straight to Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress and Gryffindor House Head, who in turn went to the Headmaster when a quick search failed to locate the missing Gryffindor. Headmaster Dumbledore canceled several classes so that more teachers could help do a more thorough search that brought them to the Forbidden Forest.

Sources say that Professors McGonagall and Flitwick accompanied Mister Hagrid into the forest to search for the student but there's yet to be any news on whether he - or his body - has been found. Our sources also say that Headmaster Dumbledore did not partake in the search due to informing the student's family- whom have all declined to comment but are understandably distressed about the situation - of the situation.

Is this a simple tale of a student whom wandered too far into the Forbidden Forest? Or is this a more complex story of some nefarious plot targeting this poor sixth year? Regardless, the question on all of our minds is this:

 _Where is Charlie Weasley?_


	9. That Brat

**That Brat-** _Charlie bolted into a sitting position at the sudden screech, launching the dragon that had been on his chest in the air. The Horntail let out a displeased_ 'Kkkeeh!' _as she caught herself with her wings, wheeling about mid-air before diving down to land on the edge of the bed._

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 _Kree? Kreee...KKHREEEE!_

Charlie bolted into a sitting position at the sudden screech, launching the dragon that had been on his chest in the air. The Horntail let out a displeased _'Kkkeeh!'_ as she caught herself with her wings, wheeling about mid-air before diving down to land on the edge of the bed.

"Brat." he told her, "How many times have I told you to not wake me up like that - there's no need for it."

Salma slowly blinked her yellow eyes, one after the other and as innocent as can be, at him with a low, _Kree?_

" _Brat_." he repeated vehemently, scoffing when she let out a series of _'keekekeeke'_ noises that was her laugh. "Go torment the others so I can get ready."

With a disgruntled _keh_ at being shooed away, the dragon threw herself into the air and flew through the open doorway, leaving Charlie alone for all that he could hear the startled and displeased shrieks the others let out when Salma took his comment to torment the others to heart. He let out an amused huff, "That **_brat._** "


	10. Swing

**Swing-** _When Arthur Weasley met Molly Prewett_

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Arthur Weasley met Molly Prewett when he was six years old and her older brothers - twins who were quite odd - took her to the park that his mother also took him to twice a month so he'd play with kids he wasn't related to. He had been using the park's lone swing at the time when the - then - five year old stopped next to him and demanded a turn on the swing.

His six year old self, of course, told her 'no' and called her a name - he couldn't quite remember _what_ exactly he called her but it was something she took offence to because she rushed to catch the swing chain and summarily started hitting him for the slight. Arthur remembers crying, his mother picking him up and soothing him as Molly's older brothers hurried over and scolded her for hitting - only letting up in emphasizing on How Bad Hitting Was when she burst into tears.

"'m sorry!" she wailed, startling his own tears to a stop. "I ne'er be'n onna swin' jus' wanta go 'fore we hafta go!"

"We can take turns." Arthur, who was used to such things from his multiple siblings and cousins, offered to - now that he looked back with the insight of an adult - his mother's pride and Molly's brothers' relief. "I'm Arthur."

She beamed, "Molly!"

 _She looks better when she's happy,_ he remembers thinking, along with, _her smile is really pretty._


	11. A Name For It

**A Name For It-** _When Charlie first figured it out, he didn't have a word for it._

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When Charlie first figured it out, he didn't have a word for it.

All he knew was that he wasn't a _skirt chaser_ like the majority of his dorm mates, nor was he a _shirt lifter_ like they started whispering the third time he reframed from commenting when the topic of girls came up.

His friends, once they realized that he just didn't care about that kind of stuff, just rolled their shoulders and laughingly told him that it made sense - everyone knew that Charlie Weasley was too in love with dragons to care about messy _human_ relationships.

Which was, well, _fair_ but still didn't give him a name for it.

Charlie doesn't hear the terms asexual or aromantic until years after he graduates Hogwarts, when Hermione Granger comes to Romania to visit him for a week (because, as she had told him when she asked to visit, _"You're about to become my brother-in-law and I would really rather we know each other better."_ ) and she eventually asks, "Oh, so you're asexual and aromantic?"


	12. It Wasn't An Issue

**It Wasn't An Issue-** _Being asexual wasn't an issue, at least not for **Charlie**_

 _._

* * *

 _._

 _It wasn't an issue,_ at least not at first - not until Bill brings someone home that is more then a friend.

 _(No, it becomes an issue when Charlie doesn't recognize the_ need _for anything more then friends beyond family._

 _When most of his year mates start talking about how cute the girls in their year were while Charlie is painstakingly creating a map of where dragon breeds would have lived a thousand years ago, long before reserves pushed them all into certain pockets of space._

 _When one of the boys in his year, one who never spoke up about girls either, comes to Charlie when he is alone and kisses him and the only thing Charlie can think of is how long does he have to stand there with the uneven stone of the castle's walls digging uncomfortably into his back.)_

It's an issue because, while his mum seems to understand that Charlie just doesn't like girls like Bill does, Molly Weasley doesn't quite connect it to the fact that _Charlie does not like **anyone** the way Bill likes girls._

It's an issue because, for all that his mum seems to support his sexuality, Molly Weasley doesn't quite realize that it's not just kissing and sex he doesn't care for but _romance_ also.

It's an issue because, for all that his mum firmly believes that all anyone needs is _family_ , Molly Weasley - with her whirlwind romance and wedding - is a romantic at heart and cannot quite understand that Charlie doesn't _need_ a romantic partner.

It's an issue because his mum thinks he's _lonely_ but, surrounded by his friends and getting news each week about his family while he's off working at a job he _loves_ , Charlie has never been _happier_.


End file.
